Undeniable beauty, incredible playability, scintillating tone and Taylor’s latest electronics make the K66ce a 12-string set apart! The Taylor Expression System 2 (ES2) is a revolutionary new pickup design that delivers an incredibly dynamic sound thanks to a behind-the-saddle pickup. Taylor expertly crafts the Grand Symphony body shape with stunning Hawaiian Koa which yields a bright and focused sound, with warm overtones that slowly emerge.

Hawaiian Koa offers a big bold voice that starts bright and tight and opens with great midrange

Premium appointments include an Island Vine fingerboard inlay

Expression System 2The Taylor Expression System 2 (ES2) delivers the latest in Taylor’s ongoing innovation. The heart of the Expression System 2 is Taylor’s proprietary behind-the-saddle pickup (patent pending), which features three uniquely positioned and individually calibrated pickup sensors. The location of the sensors enables a more dynamic range of acoustic sound to be captured than ever before. Together with Taylor’s custom-designed pro audio-grade preamp, this system produces exceptional tone and response.

Behind the ES2 Design: Rethinking the Piezo Pickup
For decades, piezo-electric transducers have been positioned under the saddle of a guitar based on the long-held belief that the string and top vibration cause the saddle to ‘bounce’ up and down. Taylor’s team, led by developer David Hosler, discovered that the vertical movement is actually heavily restricted, and that the saddle gets ‘locked down’ due to the downward pressure. This makes traditional under-saddle pickup with piezo-electric crystals sound thin, brittle, brash or synthetic.

The saddle’s natural range of movement as the guitar is being played is actually back and forth like a pendulum. That revelation led Taylor’s design team to relocate the crystals from under the saddle to behind it. The new positioning enables the crystals to respond more naturally to the guitar’s energy as it is transferred through the saddle. Three pickup sensors are installed behind the saddle, through the bridge, with three tiny Allen screws that calibrate the position of the sensors in relation to the saddle.

Like the original Expression System, the ES2 features the same volume and tone control knobs. The preamp is similar but with a slightly different gain structure. As a result it will be about 25 percent hotter, which is more in line with other pickups. This makes it plug-and-play friendly both for artists and live sound mixers.

Product Specifications

Taylor K66ce Koa 12 String ES2 Acoustic Electric Specifications

Shape: Grand Symphony

Number of Strings: 12

Back/Side Wood: Hawaiian Koa

Scale length: 25-1/2 inches

Top Wood: Hawaiian Koa

Body Length: 20 inches

Electronics: Expression System 2

Body Width: 16 1/4 inches

Cutaway: Venetian

Body Depth: 4 5/8 inches

Nut and Saddle: Bone

Neck Width: 1-7/8 inches

Neck/Heel: Tropical Mahogany

Bracing: 12-String Bracing with Relief Rout

Fingerboard Wood: Ebony

Fingerboard Inlay: Island Vine

Headstock Overlay: Ebony

Binding: Indian Rosewood

Bridge Pins: Ebony

Tuners Taylor: Gold

Truss Rod Cover: Ebony

Back/Side Finish: Gloss

Top Finish: Gloss

Neck Finish: Satin

Frets: 20

Buttons: Gold

Edge Trim: Maple

Fingerboard Binding: Indian Rosewood

HeelCap Binding: Indian Rosewood

Heel length: 3-1/2 inches

Peghead Finish: Gloss

Peghead Inlay: Island Vine

Peghead Binding: Indian Rosewood

Peghead Logo: Taylor Maple

Peghead Type: Standard

Rosette: Mat. Rosewood/Maple/Rosewood

Rosette Size: Single Ring

Stain/Sunburst: Shaded Edgeburst

Type of Neck Joint: Scarf

Case: Taylor Deluxe Hardshell Brown

Helpful Info about the Manufacturer

Phone:800-943-6782 Warranty:Limited Lifetime on new guitars; No warranty on Dent and Scratch Guitars

I bought one from the Taylor Custom Shop with AA koa top and sides as well as Gotoh 510 tuners. Just an exquisite instrument. As pretty as any guitar you'll liable to encounter. The tone is just unreal and it's as easy to play as a 6 string. While it is an expensive purchase you get what you pay for in looks and performance. I can't recommend this guitar more highly. If you ever get the chance to play (much less buy) one you should jump at the chance.
Taylor k66ce
814ce
Strat
Misc. Mandobird
Bunch of middle of the road acoustics
Seagull S12
Washburn (I forget)
Bently (My first ax)

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